Reconstruction of the human breast involves introducing a fixed or changeable-volume sac-like silicone rubber structure into a body cavity surgically created to receive such an implant. The implants and coverings therefor are described, by way of illustration and not by limitation, in: Braumann U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,880; Hamas U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,244; and Ledergerber U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,907.
The usual skin incision is on the order of 3-8 centimeters in length and is stretched open with retractors to facilitate the introduction of the implant. By virtue of the displacement of fluid contained in the sac-like implant from outside of the body into the portion of the sac which has been introduced into the implant cavity, it is possible to gradually advance the membrane of the sac in pursuit of its fluid contents.
A number of sheet-like structures have been utilized to facilitate the introduction of implants into the body by enveloping the implant, with the primary object being to shape the fluid-filled sac for presentation to the retracted wound margins. The use of these sheet-like devices has not been of benefit in the hands of many practitioners of the art.
With advancing technology in breast implant design have come new designs exhibiting textured as opposed to smooth surfaces which are brought into intimate contact with the patient's tissues in the implanted state. A variety of textured surfaces for implants are disclosed in my issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,907, incorporated herein by reference. Since breast implants are usually placed into the body through incisions considerably smaller than the implant, it has always been a challenge to introduce them. With greatly increased friction at the interface between the surface of newer texturized implants and the wound margins (body tissue), it has become correspondingly more difficult to introduce these implants. Increased manipulation of both implants and patient tissue often results in trauma to both implants and patient tissue, thereby increasing the risk associated with the procedure both in terms of immediate consequences as well as delayed structural failure and the implications deriving therefrom. It has become a matter of some urgency to be able to introduce breast implants atraumatically.